Actuaries Salary
The median pay for a actuaries in New Jersey is $142,800/year ($68.65/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $86K at the entry level to $225K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.34), that's roughly $143,749 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,067/month, or 24.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New Jersey. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $143K get you in New Jersey?
About actuaries
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in New Jersey
Actuaries pay in New Jersey tracks closely to the national median, $143K locally vs. $130K nationwide, a 10% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $2,067/month, 24.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 99.34) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Jersey
Entry-level actuaries (10th percentile) start around $86K. Mid-career wages sit at $143K. Top earners bring in $225K or more, a $139K spread from bottom to top.
Actuaries salary by metro in New Jersey
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton-Princeton | $130K | -9% | 110 |
Compare to other states
Track actuaries salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New Jersey numbers change.
Related careers in Technology
Frequently asked questions
Can a actuary afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Jersey?
Yes — at the median salary of $143K, rent takes 24.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,067/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for actuaries in New Jersey?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new actuaries typically earn — is $86K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,165/month. At HUD’s $2,067/month FMR, rent would take 40% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is actuary a high-paying job in New Jersey?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $143K locally vs. $130K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does New Jersey compare to the national average for actuaries?
New Jersey pays $143K median vs. the U.S. average of $130K — that’s +10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $144K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do actuaries make in New Jersey?
The median is $142,800 a year, that works out to about $69 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $86,090, and experienced actuaries can clear $224,700. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $143K enough to live in New Jersey?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,449/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,067/month, which eats 24.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a actuaries salary go in New Jersey?
New Jersey has a Regional Price Parity of 99.34 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median actuaries salary is worth about $143,749 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do actuaries get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.